WEST CENTRAL DISTRICT QUALIFIER NEXT FOR NEO WRESTLERS
The defending NJCAA National Champion Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College wrestling team begins their quest for another national championship on Saturday (2/11/2017) in Pratt, Kansas at the West Central District Championships. The Norsemen have won the West Central District Championship each of the past three seasons (since re-instatement of wrestling in the 2013-14 season), while each year qualifying all ten of their wrestlers for the national tournament.
The wrestlers come into the district championship as the #3 ranked NJCAA team according to the latest rankings, finishing undefeated in district matches and 14-1 overall in dual meets. Also in the West Central District tournament will be #16 ranked Labette, Kansas CC, and #22 ranked Barton, Kansas CC. The Norsemen have defeated (in dual meets) six of the seven teams entered in the district tournament including Neosho KS. CC 46-0 and 44-3; Labette KS. CC 45-3; Barton KS. CC 41-6; Wentworth MO. Military College 60-0; Colby KS. CC 47-3; and Pratt KS. CC 44-6. The only district team NEO has not wrestled is Arkansas Baptist College.
Leading the Norsemen will be #1 ranked at 174 lbs. Saul Ortiz, sophomore, Wichita, Kansas (24-9). Ortiz placed third in the districts in 2016 and qualified for the national tournament. Also returning for NEO are #2 ranked 141 lbs. Curtis Burnett, sophomore, Independence, Kansas (24-8) who was a 2016 All-American placing fourth along with winning the 2016 West Central Championship, and #4 ranked 125 lbs. Logan Terrill, sophomore, Ark City, Kansas (29-6) who was also a 2016 All-American, placing seventh and placing third at the West Central District tournament.
Other current NJCAA ranked wrestlers for the Norse include:
#2 ranked 133 lbs. Sean DeShazer, red-shirt freshman, Wichita, Kansas (17-1)
#3 ranked 149 lbs. Dylan Lucas, red-shirt freshman, Plainview, Oklahoma (21-2)
#5 ranked 157 lbs. Asa (Alex) Nelson, sophomore, Guthrie, Oklahoma (29-9)
#6 ranked 165 lbs. James Wyatt Jordan, freshman, Collinsville, Oklahoma (30-9)
#7 ranked 197 lbs. Ruston Duke, freshman, Plainview, Oklahoma (33-8)
#5 ranked 285 lbs. Shawn Michael Beeson, red-shirt sophomore, Monett, Missouri (23-8)
Wrestling for the Norsemen at 184 lbs. will be unranked freshman Devin Crawl, Chattanooga, Tennessee (26-13). Head Coach Joe Renfro will lead the Norsemen, assisted by Dennis Siegmann, Dustin May, Casey Powell, Jaime Siegmann, and Mark Hobson.
Labette CC will have two NJCAA ranked wrestlers in the field with 157 lbs. #4 Shae Conley and 184 lbs. #6 Tristan Ramberg. Barton brings #8 ranked, 285 lbs. Brix Brickley.
The West Central District Tournament will be wrestled in the Dennis Lesh Sports Arena on the Pratt, Kansas Community College campus. Eight junior college teams will participate. Doors for spectators will open at 9:00 am with wrestling set to begin at 10:00 am on two mats on Saturday. Wrestling will be continuous throughout the day until all matches are completed and awards presented.
